Building Systems in Your Business

So you’ve read The E-myth, have attended a recent GhostCEO Coaches Corner event, and learned the virtues of implementing systems in order to build a sustainable and scalable business model. You might even be thinking about how to build models so you can license down the road.

Perhaps a nagging thought comes up: what I do is so individualized, so specific, and it’s all (or mostly) intuitive. How do I get someone else to do what I do? How would I ensure that what I do is done on a consistent basis?

If the task of systematizing seems overwhelming, here’s a good way to start. Get a bunch of colored Post-It notes. Start writing down one task or one element of your business on a sticky note. Then find a nice wall in your office or home and arrange these notes according to the flow of your business. Check in with yourself – are you happy with how things are working? Or do certain tasks need to be eliminated?

Once you know what you’re currently doing, you can begin to design what you want to improve. In this picture, a client was able to highlight what was working well and what wasn’t in how she’s running her day-to-day operations. The result? We found she could double her current fees while improving client experience. Not bad for playing with a bunch of sticky notes!

Caution though – this exercise may cause spouse to ask “how long will this stay on the wall and when is your business coach going to be done with this?”